Film about ‘menstrual man’ opens in India

“Padman” opened in theaters Friday and stars Indian action star Akshay Kumar in the lead role of a man who starts manufacturing cheaply made sanitary pads after he discovers his wife’s lack of access to them in a small town in south India.

The subject of menstruation and menstrual hygiene is rarely, if ever, discussed openly in Indian homes. In many homes women are barred from temples and religious rituals as well as cooking or entering the kitchen when they have their period.

The film is breaking some of those taboos as other Bollywood actors have posted photos of themselves holding sanitary pads to support the film and its message.